Even more frustrating when a team wins the first game in a best of five match and then makes a bunch of little mistakes that end up being very costly.

Such has been the case with the Oak Harbor High School team this season.

In many matches the Wildcats captured the first game and looked good doing it only to have the wheels come off as the match progressed.

It happened again Monday evening against Stanwood.

The Wildcats opened a 6-2 lead in the first game and never trailed, dumping the Spartans 25-23, but ended up losing the the next three games to drop their second WesCo North match 3-1.

Stanwood picked up its first victory of the season in league games and is tied with Arlington and Oak Harbor for sixth place in the WesCo North.

“We usually play well in the first game of a match,” coach Kerri Molitor said.

Oak Harbor (1-2 league, 3-6 overall) got some big hits in the first game from Jennifer Jansen, Jessica Muzzall and Kim Mowbray, and controlled the action on the floor.

However in the second game, poor serving put the Wildcats is an early hole.

Three points on serve by Alexia Marquis brought the team back to within one point, 9-8, but that was the closest the Wildcats would get as they lost the second game 25-19.

The third game was a near repeat of the second with the Wildcats rallying from an early deficit to trail by a single point, but poor serving resulted in the Spartans winning 25-15.

“We didn’t pass the ball very well and that hurt us,” Molitor said. “We went downhill from there.”

The Wildcats continued to rally in the fourth game being down 21-13 at one point before scoring five straight points to trim the lead to 21-18, but it was not enough and the Spartans secured the match for a 25-19 victory.

Melany Cone had 33 assists in the match and Jansen led the team in kills with 17.

“We are a very up and down team,” Molitor said. “When we play well, things come together and the girls are very impressive. When we start faltering they lose their confidence and then it kind of falls apart.”

Wednesday, the Wildcats traveled to Everett where they fell 3-0 to the Seagulls who won in straight sets 25-17, 25-20, 25-13 in the Wesco North matchup.

Ally Lund led Everett with 11 kills and 13 digs as the Seagulls improved to 2-1 in league and 6-3 overall. Oak Harbor fell to 1-3 in league and 3-7 overall. Jennifer Jansen led the Wildcats with eight kills.

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